Melody-stop for mechanically-played musical instruments.



PATENTBD JAN. 6, 1903.

R. W. PAIN. MELODY STOP FOR MEGHANIGALLY PLAYED MUSIGAL'INSTRUMENTS.

'APPLIQATION FILED PLAY 4; 1901.

Z'SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

awve/vuto m 0 H a U m PATBNTED JAN. 6, 1908,

R. W. PAIN. MELODY STOP FOR MEGHANIGALLY PLAYED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

. APPHOATION rum) MAY 24, 1901.

no MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVENTOR m: uonms PETERS go. vno muma, WASHINGTON, nvc.

UNrrn TArss ATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT VVILLIARD PAIN, OF NEW YORK, N. *Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE AEOLIAN (30., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

MELODY-STOP FOR MECHANlCALLY-PLAYED MUSICAL lNSTRUMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 717,907, dated January 6, 1903.

Application filed May 24, 1901. Serial No- 61,'712. (No model.)

T at whom it may concern: cate, respectively, the beginning and end of Be it known that 1, ROBERT WVILLIARD each chord. It will be observed that the note PAIN, a citizen of the United States, residing (t is a little in advance of the line 1. in the borough of Manhattan, city, county, a represents a pipe or conduit forming a 5 and State of New York, have invented cer' connection between a passage or duct in the tain new and usefullmprovementsin Melodytracker-board and a passage (1 leading to an Stops for lllechanically-Played Musical Inexhaust-chestA Provided over the passage struments, of which the following is a specic where it enters the exhaust A is a diafication. phragm ad, which operates pallets a C0 The [0 Myinvention relates to mechanically-played pallet a opens a passage a to the exhaust A musical instruments the operation of which is while the pallet a opens the same passage (17 6o controlled by a perforated music-sheet. My to the atmosphere. Normally the passage a invention particularly relates to the sounding is open to the exhaust A of an additional set of notes in this class of a represents a diaphragm for closing one [5 instruments, which additional notes are comend of the passage (0 and this diaphragm prised in a melody set of sound-producing separates this passage from an exhaust A devices. The exhaust A is stronger than the exhaust I will describe a mechanical musical instru- A so that the diaphragm a will normally be ment embodying my invention and then point in the position shown in Fig. 1. When, how- 20 out the novel features thereof in the claims. ever, the exhaust A is out off from the pas- In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is sage of, the exhaust A on one side and the a vertical sectional view of a portion of a meatmospheric pressure on the other side will chanical musical instrument embodying my bow the diaphragm upward. invention. Fig. 2 is a detail front view of a a and (1, represent pallets operated from 25 portion thereof. Fig. 3 is a detail View of a the diaphragm a The pallet a controls the portion of a perforated music-sheet employed vent of the passage (L12 tothe exhaust A while in connection with the musical instrument. the pallet a controls the vent of the passage Similar letters of reference designate corre- (L to the atmosphere. The passage (1 is sponding parts in all of the figures. open to a pneumatic (1 which through a con- 30 Fig. 1 represents the means in a mechannection a operates a hammer mechanism of ical musical instrument which are employed a piano or the valves controlling the speakto produce a sound or note in the instrument ing of a pipe in an organ. and a sound or note in the additional or mel- The operation of the device as far as has ody set of sound-producing devices. It will been described will be readily understood.

35 be understood that there may be any number Whenever a note-opening in the music-sheet of the complete devices shown in Fig. 1 to passes over a passage in the tracker-board, make up a mechanical instrument of any size. atmospheric air passes into the passage and A represents a trackenboard, and CL a permoves a diaphragm a. The train of opera forated music-sheet passing thereover. The tions hereinbefore described then takes place.

0 perforated music-sheet (see Fig. 3) is provided b represents apassage which communicates with the usual note-perforations of a musical with the passage a At an end of the passage piece. The perforation of the note which is b there is a pneumatic b, which, as shown, to be accented is, however, cut a little in adis normally collapsed. When a passage a is Vance of the other notes in a chord for a purvented to the atmosphere, a passage 17 is also 45 pose to be hereinafter explained. I have invented to the atmosphere, and atmospheric dicated such a note (or there may be a plupressure causes the pneumatic b to expand. rality of notes) by the reference character a In doing so it moves a pallet-valve 19 which Obviously the note to be accented could be opens a passage 19 to the atmosphere. At any one in a chord. The lines 1 and 2 indithe opposite end of the passage 19 is a diaphragm 5 one side of which is exposed to an exhaust in a chamber 19 Each diaphragm b operates pallets Z2 b one of which, 5 controls a vent of a chamber or passage to the exhaust-chamber b and the other of which, 19 controls a vent for said chamber to the atmosphere. A pneumatic b is open to the chain herb and is normallyexpanded. When the positions of the pallets b b are changed, the pneumatic is opened to the exhaust and is collapsed. As it collapses a rod 79 connected therewith, raises a pallet b from off a vent of a reed-cell Z9 and allows an exhaust in chamber Z1 to draw air past a vibrating tongue. Instead of vibrating tongues in the melody set of sound-producing devices reeds may be substituted therefor, and of course these reeds, which will then comprise the melody-set, may be of any stop-as, for example, viola, oboe, &c.

C represents a rod which is suitably supported at its end, so as to be rotated on its longitudinal axis and adjacent the pallets I9 Loosely mounted on this rod are anumber of fingers c, the ends of which normally bear against the ends of the pallets Z). In this position any or all of the pallets Z2 may be raised.

0 represents a number of arms which are fixed to the rod 0, one being provided for each pallet Z9 Coacting with each arm isa pin 0 which pins 0 are carried by the pallets 1). Whenever an arm 0 is lifted by a pin 0 on the raising of a pallet, the rod 0 is caused to rotate about its longitudinal axis.

0 represents a number of springs, one for each finger 0, one end of which spring is fixed to the rod 0 and the other end of which spring bears against the finger. Normally the springs hold the fingers against the end of the pallets b, and preferably they are of such strength as not to force the fingers past the pallets. To provide for sufficient friction to accomplish this, the ends of pallets Z) or the ends of fingers c, or both, may be provided with felt. When, however, the rod 0 is rotated on its longitudinal axis, the springs are put under increased tension and cause the fingers to move to a vertical position directly over the pallets 11 or in such a position as to prevent the pallets being raised.

0 represents a bar extending past all of the fingers for limiting their movement in one direction.

0 represents an arm rigidly connected at one end to the rod 0 and having its other end engaged by a spring 0. The function of this arm 0 and spring 0 is to return or rotate the rod 0 in a reverse direction, thereby releasing the tension on the springs a and allowing the rod 0 to move the fingers c to their normal position. While the fingers c are loose on the rod C there will be sufficient friction between the two to have the fingers move With the rod. If desired, the springs 0 may armor be omitted. They are preferable owing to their insuring a movement of the fingers over the pallets.

In the operation of the device by reason of the melody-note being cut. in advance of the other notes of a chord it permits of the operation of the pneumatic Z) of its note in the melody set of sound-producing devices in advance of the pneumatics b of the other notes in the melody set, for to sound the note to be accented in the melody set its pallet 19 will have to be raised, and as it rises its pin 0 engages an arm 0 thereby causing the rod to rotate and move the remaining fingers over the pallets, and thus prevent any other note being sounded in the melody set.

Instead of having the fingers c act to hold down pallets to prevent sound-producing devices from speaking or sounding they may act to operate or engage upon some other devices or means which if held or otherwise engaged would prevent their sound-producing devices from speaking or sounding. Hence wherever I have used the term pallet I mean any part or feature of a sound-producing device necessary for its sounding or speaking. It will thus be seen that according to my invention there are sound-producing devices, as embodied in the devices of the melody set, and means for operating the same, and there are a plurality of yielding fingers corresponding in number to the sound-producing devices and connected to be operated when one of the devices is sounded, whereby theremainder of said devices are prevented from being operated until the fingers are restored to normal position, or, in other words, the fingers are connected to be operated to prevent the operation of the remainder of the sound-producing devices when one of the said devices is sounded.

The traveling music sheet controls, as usual, the mechanisms for operating the different sets of sound-producing devices, one of which is the melody set, and the rock shaft or rod 0 and mechanism connected thereto have the function of a mechanical locking device, which, as shown, is connected to be actuated by the operating mechanism of the melody set and is constructed to prevent the operation of more than one of the sound-producing devices of the melody set at a time. This mechanical locking device is in reality a single device constructed with a plurality of fingers,whereby the operation of more than one of the sound-producing devices in the melody set at a time is prevented. The rock shaft or rod O, as shown, is connected to be actuated by the operating mechanism of the melody set, and the yielding fingers 0 may be termed locking-fingers for the sound-producing devices of the melody set. It will be seen that the fingers are normally in position to allow the operation of any one of the soundproducing devices of the melody set, and

means are provided for rocking said shaft when anysound-producing deviceis operated. Since the fingers are yielding, all of the fingers except the one corresponding to the sounding device operated are moved into position to lock the remainder of the sounding devices from operation.

The perforated music-sheet is provided with melody-note perforations, and thereare governing devices controlled by the perforations in said sheet, whereby sounding devices in both the main set and the melody set may be simultaneously sounded.

Obviously my invention may be embodied in Widely-varying forms and some features of my invention maybe used without others.

Therefore, Without limiting myself to the construction shown and described nor enu merating equivalents, I claim, and desire to obtain by Letters Patent, the following:

1. Amelodysetof sound-producing devices, means whereby the playing of a sound-producing device in said set will prevent the other devices in said set playing,and a traveling music-sl1eet having melody-note perforations cut in advance of the other note-perforations of the chords containing them which control said means.

2. The combination with a mechanicallyplayed musical instrument, of an additional or melody set of sound-producing devices, and a perforated music-sheet which controls the sounding or speaking of notes in the musical instrument, and having a note-perforation of a chord cut in advance of the other notes of the chord, which perforation controls the speaking of a note in the melody set.

3. In combination with a mechanicallyplayed musical instrument comprising soundproducing devices, an additional or melody set of sound-producing devices each having a pallet, a perforated music-sheet having melody note perforations, a rotatable rod carrying fingers, one for each pallet, which fingers are moved from said pallets, and means for moving each of said pallets to engage a finger and cause a rotation of the rod to move the other fingers over the pallets, said means being controlled by the melodynote perforations of the music-sheet.

at. In a mechanically-played musical instrument, the combination of a set of soundproducing devices, an additional or melody set of sound-producing devices providedwith pallets, a perforated music-sheet having melody-note perforations and governing devices controlled by the perforations insaid sheet, whereby sound-producing devices in both sets may be simultaneously sounded, a rod provided with fingers and controlled in its operation by the governing devices controlled by the melody-note. perforations, and means connected to be operated by the lifting of a pallet of a sound-producing device in the melody set for actuating said rod and fingers to prevent the sounding of any other device in the melody set, substantially as set forth.

5. A melody set of sound-producing devices for mechanically-played musical instruments consisting of a number of speaking or sounding devices, means for causing each of them to speak or sound comprising a pallet, a pneumatic for moving each pallet, which pneumatic is controlled by a perforated musicsheet, a rod adjacent said pallets, fingers movable with said rod when it is rotated, a number of arms carried by said rod, a pin carried by each pallet, which, when a pallet is raised, engages an arm and causes the rod to rotate and move the fingers over the remaining pallets, and means for rotating the rod in a reverse direction to move the fingers from the pallets, substantially as described.

6. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of sound-producing devices and means for operating the same, and a plurality of yielding fingers corresponding in number to the sound-producing devices and connected to be operated when one of the devices is sounded, and connections whereby the remainder of said devices are prevented from being operated until the fingers are restored to normal position, substantially as set forth.

'7. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of sound-producing devices and means for operating the same, and a plurality of yielding means for interfering with said operation and corresponding to the soundproducing devices and connected to be operated when one of said devices is sounded to prevent the operation of the remainder of said devices, substantially as set forth.

8. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of mechanism for operating a set of sound-producing devices and an additional or melody set of sound-producing devices and operating mechanism therefor, a traveling music-sheet for controlling said mechanisms, and a rock-shaft connected to be actuated by the operating mechanism of the melody set and provided with a plurality of locking-fingers corresponding to thesound-producing devices of the melody set for preventing the operation of more than one of said devices at a time, substantially as set forth.

9. In a mechanical musical instrument, the combination of sound-producing devices,controlling devices therefor, a rock-shaft having a plurality of yielding fingers thereon arranged adjacent the said controlling devices, said rock-shaft being connected to be rocked when one of the controlling devices is actuated to move the fingers into position to lock the remainder of the controlling devices from movement, substantially as set forth.

10. In a mechanical musical instrument,the combination of a set of sound-producing devices, means for controlling the operation of the same, a rock-shaft, a plurality of yielding fingers connected to said shaft, said fin- Intestimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of 0 two subscribing Witnesses.

ROBERT VVILLIARD PAIN.

WVitnesses:

gers being normally in position to allow the operation of any of the sound-producing devices, and means for rocking said shaft when any sound producing device is operated, whereby the fingers are moved into position to prevent the operation of the remainder of W. CORNELL BENJAMIN.

the sound-producing devices, substantiaily OWEN \VARD, as set forth. 1 

